Stafford reveals itself through places whose stories span very different periods. Chatham was built in 1771; its gardens date from the 1920s and offer views over Fredericksburg. The ground floor of Chatham is set up as a museum with exhibits. These include a 12-minute film that plays on demand. The building’s history, its later garden design, and its present-day interpretation come together here.
History in buildings and memorial sites
Aquia Episcopal Church is the oldest active church in Stafford County. In the early 19th century, Belmont Estate was the country home and studio of painter Gari Melchers. Its grounds include restored formal gardens and miles of walking trails. Alongside historic buildings, landscaped outdoor spaces and trails are also a focus.
Gari Melchers Home and Studio offers tours that begin hourly from 10:30 a.m. The historic site and visitor center are open from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. If you plan to take a tour during your visit, check the times before you arrive.
The history of Stafford’s first residents can also be explored through different forms of interpretation. The Patawomeck Museum & Cultural Center and the Living History Village together share this history. The museum’s collection represents 10,000 years of history. The Living History Village depicts life in a Patawomeck village around 1491. The collection and historical presentation focus on different periods.
Choose trails and landscapes with care
For a walk with a clearly stated distance, Government Island offers a 1.5-mile trail. The Belmont Ferry Farm Trail is open year-round and runs through Brooks Park, John Lee Pratt Memorial Park, and the Historic Port of Falmouth. The two trails offer different kinds of orientation: Government Island emphasizes the trail’s length, while the Belmont Ferry Farm Trail follows a route through several named places.
Aquia Landing Park offers another setting for enjoying the landscape and outdoor recreation. Its public beach offers opportunities for fishing, picnicking, and kayaking. The combination of beach and activities sets this site apart from the walking trails and historic sites, allowing you to choose the focus of your visit.
Civil War and freedom history
At Aquia Landing, today’s recreational opportunities meet a layered transportation history. The site was the terminus of the Richmond, Fredericksburg & Potomac Railroad and an important transportation point between Washington, DC, and Richmond, Virginia. During the American Civil War, Aquia Landing was the first place to come under naval fire. Today, it is both a designated stop on the Civil War Trails and an important stop in the Underground Railroad’s Network to Freedom.
Several army camps from the American Civil War era are located in Stafford County Virginia Civil War Park. Eight interpretive signs explain historic features and their connection to Union army camps used in the winter of 1863. The signs draw attention to how the site was used and to the period in which the camps were active.
The Trail to Freedom offers another perspective on the history of enslaved people. This walking and driving tour passes through Fredericksburg, Stafford, Spotsylvania, and surrounding counties; it explores the mass escape of enslaved people in the summer of 1862. Together with the historic sites at Aquia Landing and the Civil War Park, it offers a nuanced picture of different places and events without reducing them to a single era.
Discover more destinations: Stafford, Alexandria, Nelson County, Henrico, Botetourt, Page, Russell, Dickenson County.
For the main travel overview: Virginia.
